Is there life for laptops after a screen goes dead? Absolutely. You can replace a laptop screen for much less than official service or a full replacement, or turn your laptop into a very space-efficient desktop computer with a cheap monitor.

This post is part of a week-long series on laptop fixes that focuses on the fixes that can keep a laptop usable after the inevitable breakdown of one part or another.

Advertisement

Fix a Cracked or Dead Screen

MacBooks: The premier guide for replacing any part on nearly any Apple device is iFixit. MacBooks are built with size, style, and weight at a priority, so the internals are cramped, complex, and not necessarily easy to yank apart and throw back together. But iFixit's guides are very detailed, explained in plain language, accompanied at each step with crisp, detailed pictures, and tricky sections are given the attention they deserve. You'll potentially have to pick up some specialty screwdrivers and other tools to get the job done, but they can usually be found cheap. Some case screws, for example, can be taken out using an eyeglass repair screwdriver found in dollar stores.

Advertisement

Other inquisitive Mac fans have taken video while detailing the two-step process of replacing an LCD on a MacBook. Step one is removing the LCD panel:

/:16

The next step is actually taking apart the panel and replacing the LCD component inside, which actually seems less difficult than making the case separation:

/:16

Windows Laptops: If iFixit doesn't have your model covered, and if a little Google-ing for something like "replace lcd HP g42t" doesn't cut it, then you've got two real options: track down the exact part you need and replace it yourself (which can be easier than you think, as many laptops use a common LCD panel), or make your laptop a bit less portable and go "headless."

Advertisement

If you're going to go it alone, read this general guide to laptop LCD replacement at This Is My Defective Kit. It walks through the removal of the display cable, unseating of the LCD piece, and the crucial, patient process of putting everything back exactly the way it was.

As with other laptop repairs, "PC" laptops made to run Windows come in all shapes and sizes, but there's some general procedures to repair your LCD screen yourself. DiscountElectronics provided a good, watchable demonstration of a Dell LCD repair, from start to finish:

/:16

Taking Your Laptop Headless

Advertisement

If the LCD on your laptop has seen better days, you can still use it as a home system. If you really need a portable workstation, well, you may need a new laptop, but don't recycle your trusted friend just yet. Photo by marksdk.

Making your laptop "headless," or capable of running on an external monitor instead of its built-in screen, isn't all that difficult these days. If you've already got a monitor, you're in the clear. If not, head to Dealzon, check out FatWallet, or simply check out the surprisingly cheap offerings at Dell, and pick up a screen that fits your desk.

• MacBooks: You'll need the appropriate VGA or DVI adapter, but once you plug in your larger screen, your monitor should instantly crackle to life. Right-click (or two-finger click, as may be the case) on your monitor screen and pick "Change Desktop Background." You can then click the back arrow from that preference pane and head into Displays, where you can set up your monitor mirroring instead of desktop extending. Now your MacBook is simply a space-saving desktop system with an extra bit of empty space—though you can usually close your MacBook lid and wake your system back up to really minimize its space use.

Advertisement

• Windows: Plugging in a monitor while Windows is running should result in your monitor showing a mirror image of your laptop desktop. Right-click on an empty desktop spot, then choose "Change display resolution." From this Control Panel item, you can set your monitor as your primary display, turn off your non-working laptop display, and set your resolution to your monitor's optimal setting. If nothing happens when you plug in, try pressing the Win+P combination once, twice, or three times to make Windows connect. From there, you should be able to set up your monitor as Windows' primary display with a correct resolution.

Take Advantage of Your Screen-less Laptop's Size

Advertisement

You don't have to just plunk your monitor-attached laptop onto your desk. Reclaim some space instead with your separate keyboard and mouse and something like the under-desk-mounted MacBook on display at the MacNN forums. You can flip your laptop on its side to hide in a corner of your desk, or even attach your laptop to the back of your monitor for a kind of DIY iMac.

That's the starting point for our advice on replacing or adapting your laptop after its screen says good night. What would you recommend? Have you fixed your own laptop screen? We welcome your tips, advice, and stories in the comments, and we'll update our post with the most relevant stuff.